Redline Gear Oil: NS or not

[Gerry Lehmann <lehmann@domain.elided>]

This is a difficult issue because of the (unique to a transaxle) direct
conflict in properties between a lube that is ideal for synchros (low
slip coefficient) and one that is ideal for a clutch type LSD (high cf).
Its unfortunate that they are required to share common oil because the
former actually needs some friction for the synchros to meet at a common
speed,  while in the the latter that friction may induce chatter in the
LSD clutch.  I have been considering the very same issue as I am about
to transfer the LSD pumpkin from a verde transaxle into my 3 liter
GTV6.  Until now, I am one of the group that have had excellent
experience with the 75/90NS product but admittedly until now, have not
had to deal with the LSD issues. The NS product has worked so well for
my synchros over the past 15 years that more than one person who has
driven my GTV6 have asked "so what's the big deal about transaxle
synchros? Seems normal to me"   FWIW I think this conflict is one of
several reasons why many mfgrs with LSD transaxles use viscous type
LSDs, it avoids the issue entirely. 

Anyway, the approach that I am going to take will be somewhere between
the two products.  Redline sells their LSD slip additive as a separate
product to add to oils that do not have it (including their own).  I
intend to start with 75/90NS (No slip additive) and add only the least
amount of the stand alone additive required to remove whatever LSD
chatter may exist.  In this way I hope to minimize the excess slip that
causes synchros to take more engagement time.  I have not done this yet
so I can't say where it will go, but tuning LSD engagement by additive
variation is the whole reason Redline sells the product separately to
begin with.  I also am very interested to hear others thoughts and
experiences on the compromise inherent in this subject.  Maybe the
perfect product already exists and I won't have to blend my own.

Gerry Lehmann
'86 GTV6 3.0

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